Council’s vegan meal policy sparks hypocrisy row

Oxfordshire County Council is under fire for hypocrisy after admitting to serving imported fruit at vegan-only lunches, despite its own policies calling for reduced “food miles” to combat climate change.

The Liberal Democrat-led council, which banned meat, dairy, and eggs from its official catering in 2021, now faces criticism for including oranges and bananas – foods not grown in the UK – on its lunch menus.

The revelation has reignited tensions with farmers, campaigners, and even members of its own party.

See also: The rural fightback against ‘vegan-only’ councils

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, external affairs director at the Countryside Alliance (CA), said: “It never made sense to ban grass-fed beef from a farm up the road, to only source fruit from South America, for example.”

The CA has long opposed the plant-based policy, arguing it ignores the environmental and economic benefits of supporting local meat and dairy producers.

An earlier investigation by the group also found the vegan meals were more expensive for taxpayers and that the council had no clear information on their carbon footprint.

Adding to the backlash, it emerged that a councillor who voted for the vegan policy had been caught taking dairy milk into meetings.

Bethia Thomas, a Liberal Democrat councillor, publicly questioned the policy at a full council meeting on Tuesday, saying: “Meals have not been sourced locally and do not promote sustainability or wholly reflect the policies set out in the food strategy.”

Photos of early vegan lunches, shared online by Green Party councillor Ian Middleton, who proposed the ban, showed tropical fruits such as mango, melon, and pomegranate alongside pastries and plant-based sandwiches.

Review ordered

Council leader Liz Leffman has now ordered a review.

“It’s really important for us to support our local farmers and do everything we can to make sure what we consume is sourced as locally as possible,” she said.

The Countryside Alliance is calling for a full reversal of the vegan-only policy, saying it fails both environmental and economic tests.

Council defence

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesman said: “The current supplier for our full council lunches is a local company based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.

“While we do try to source food locally there have been occasions when food such as oranges and bananas have been sourced in local shops which in turn may source them from further afield, particularly in winter.

“All other fruit is British grown. We need to balance sustainability against the wish to serve councillors a balanced menu which is nutritious and healthy.”

The spokesman added: “It’s important we support local farmers and source food as locally as possible.

“Officers have been asked to review current arrangements in line with the Oxfordshire Food Strategy.”